UNDP Promotes the establishment of Water Users’ Groups in Turkmenistan to Ensure Sustainable Use of Water

Jul 19, 2016

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) strives to ensure effective water management in the drought-affected regions of Turkmenistan.

Ashgabat, 14-18 July 2016: Thirty representatives of the three areas of the Adaptation Fund-funded project “Addressing Climate Change Risks to Farming Systems in Turkmenistan at National and Community Level” came together for a four-day training to share and discuss their current water use practices and to learn how to establish water users’ groups (WUGs) where the groups will take over the management of water from government institutions.

Starting from 2015, UNDP has supported the government to amend the Water Code of Turkmenistan. The revised Water Code includes provisions on establishing WUGs with the purpose to promote sustainable and rational use of water. The Water Code is expected to be approved by Mejlis later this year.

“This project has brought numerous benefits to the people of Turkmenistan. It is a pleasure to see that we expand our work to such trainings and organizing the water users’ groups,” said National Coordinator of the Project, Director of the National Institute of Desert, Flora and Fauna of Turkmenistan, Muhammet Durikov.

The current training was conducted by two international experts who prepared a 16 volume training manual for all participants. The manual sets out a step by step approach on how to establish a WUG and how to undertake administrative and technical tasks that WUGs are expected to carry out.

It was noted that the farmers’ unions will over time transfer some of their duties to the WUGs. Participants also discussed that the group will be managed by an executive board facilitated by the secretary rather than a single leader of the WUG.

The participants who came from Nohur, Karkum and Sakarchaga created a 6-month plan of action of how they will work with their communities to continue to pilot establishing WUGs and make them stronger.